HSM3 General Appreciation Thread #3: Because we want the rest of our lives to feel just like a High School Musical

It's the end of the Wildcats' championship basketball game against the West High Knights, where team captain Troy immediately rallies their spirits ("Now or Never"). With the team’s spirit raised, they win, thanks to the winning shot from their newest team member Jimmie "The Rocket" Zara. Later, at Troy's after-match party at his house, Troy and Gabriella are seen thinking about their future and wishing that their last few months at East High would not end ("Right Here, Right Now").

Sharpay meets Tiara Gold, a British exchange student whom she hires to be her personal assistant. When drama teacher Ms. Darbus notices that there were so few sign-ups for the spring musical, Sharpay suggests she could do a one-woman show. This alarms Kelsi, who is writing the show, so she signs up everyone in their homeroom for it instead. This results in Ms. Darbus announcing they will create a play about their final days at East High, called "Senior Year." In addition, she reveals that Sharpay, Ryan, Kelsi, and Troy have all been considered for a scholarship at Juilliard, but only one of them is to be chosen. Troy is confused, because he did not apply to Juilliard. Sharpay becomes desperate to win the scholarship, and knowing that Kelsi will give the best songs to Troy and Gabriella in the musical, she gets Ryan to try to persuade Kelsi to give them a song, by predicting her (and Ryan's) future ("I Want It All").

The next day, Gabriella and Troy meet on the rooftop and she teaches him how to waltz ("Can I Have This Dance?"). Chad then asks Taylor to go to prom with him. She initially refuses due to his lack of enthusiasm, but later agrees when Chad proves he can put in some effort and asks again in front of everyone in the school. The group rehearses for the musical, a scene about their prom night ("A Night To Remember"). Ryan walks in on Kelsi composing ("Just Wanna Be With You") in the music room, and performs it with her, and then he asks her to prom halfway through.

While Troy and Chad reminisce about their past ("The Boys Are Back"), Sharpay and Tiara discover that Gabriella has a chance to go to college early. Sharpay later convinces Troy that he is the only thing keeping Gabriella from her dream, ("Right Here, Right Now (Reprise)"). Troy talks to Gabriella about this over pizza, and after sharing an awkward goodnight, Gabriella sings ("Walk Away") and leaves for college the next day.

Troy's dad, Jack, talks to him about his academic future, which he expects will be in the University of Albuquerque. This assumption makes Troy become angry, confused, and he runs away, storming around East High bewildered ("Scream") until he finally screams at the top of his lungs in the theatre. Ms. Darbus has been there all this time watching and reveals that she sent in his application for Juilliard, as she knew how comfortable he was on stage and how much he liked it. Troy takes no offense and thinks about the advice given to him. Troy later gets a call from Gabriella saying that although she loves him, she will not return to Albuquerque, as she is too used to being away. However, on the day of prom, Troy visits Gabriella at Stanford and convinces her to return, as everyone is not the same without her ("Can I Have This Dance? (Reprise)").

Back at East High, Jimmie receives a text from Troy to tell him to cover for him onstage because he is going to be late. The Juilliard representatives are there, and watch as the show seems to go well ("Senior Year Spring Musical"). During the opening number, Kelsi and Ryan debut. While during the second number, Chad, Jason, Zeke and Martha debut, Ryan does his number with the many chorus girls; Jimmie then performs with Sharpay and embarrasses her. Troy and Gabriella appear during the second half of the show and sing their duet together. Tiara then betrays Sharpay and tells her how she is going to take over next year in the drama department. Sharpay finally learns how it feels to be humiliated, but does not wish to go down. While Tiara performs, Sharpay immediately crashes her performance and upstages her. Ms. Darbus reveals that both Kelsi and Ryan have won the Juilliard scholarship ("We're All in This Together (Graduation Mix)"). Taylor will go to Yale University; Sharpay will go to University of Albuquerque and along with that, she will also assist Ms. Darbus in running the drama department in the fall (so that Tiara does not get to take over the Drama Department). Troy decides to go to the University of California, Berkeley, where he can play basketball, study drama, and be close to Gabriella. After learning about Troy's decision, Chad runs offstage and into the school gym. There he and Troy work things out and learn that their college's basketball teams will play each other the upcoming fall. Chad decides to attend the University of Albuquerque (U of A). At the graduation ceremony, Troy gives the class speech. Throwing their caps in the air, the graduates form a giant wildcat before breaking out into song and dance ("High School Musical"). The six stars walk down the field where a curtain closes off the graduation ceremony and turns into a stage. The six stars do their signature jump and then the camera does a close up of each actor. They take their final bow as the curtain closes.